HCS HB 1787 -- GUARD AT HOME PROGRAM

SPONSOR:  Richard (Jackson)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Job Creation and Economic Development by a vote of 18 to 0.

This substitute establishes the Guard at Home Program to assist
the spouse of an active-duty national guardsman or reservist by
addressing his or her immediate needs and employment in order to
keep the family from falling into poverty while the primary
income earner is on active duty and to help returning troops find
work in situations where an individual needs to rebuild business
clientele or where an individual's job was eliminated while on
deployment.

The Department of Economic Development is required to hire a
contractor to administer the program.  The Division of Job
Development and Training will ensure that the contractor meets
certain qualifications specified in the substitute.  The division
will develop the criteria of the contract based on the following:

(1)  Eligible program participants will be families where:

(a)  The primary income earner was called to active duty in
defense of the United States for more than four months;

(b)  The primary income is no longer available;

(c)  The family is experiencing a significant hardship due to
financial burdens; and

(d)  The family has no outside resources available to assist with
these hardships; and

(2)  Services may be provided to families in order to alleviate
an immediate crisis and to provide economic stability while the
primary income is not available due to the active military
commitment.  The substitute specifies some of the services which
may be provided.

The department will report to the President Pro Tem of the Senate
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the operation
and progress of the program by January 1, 2007.

The substitute becomes effective on July 1, 2006, and the
division must make every effort to ensure that participating
families are being served by August 1, 2006.

The substitute contains an emergency clause.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2007, FY 2008, and
FY 2009.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will assist the spouses
of active-duty military by helping them find jobs, thereby
keeping them out of poverty.  When a member of the National Guard
is mobilized, the family usually suffers a dramatic loss of
income.  This is especially true for enlisted soldiers.  This
program will also help improve the morale of soldiers because
they won't worry about their families being able to make ends
meet.  Improved morale and less stress are very important.
Soldiers who know their families are taken care of will do a
better job.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Jackson and
Smith (14); Military Officers Association of America, State
Council; American Legion, Department of Missouri; Missouri
Association of Veterans Organizations; Veterans of Foreign Wars
of the United States, Missouri Department; Vietnam Veterans of
America, Missouri State Council; Kevin Rainwater, Lakes Country
Resource Centers; Marine Corps League, Department of Missouri;
and Missouri National Guard Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say that this is one more
tool the Veterans Ombudsman can use to assist veterans and their
families.  However, a system already exists to help spouses of
military members, and additional bureaucracy doesn't need to be
created for this purpose.

Others testifying on the bill were Missouri Veterans Commission;
Division of Workforce Development, Department of Economic
Development; and St. Louis Community College.

Alice Hurley, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:44 am